First Post of Many

Usually I am upbeat and ready to embrace it all to become it all. Today is one of those days where deployment just begins to wear on you a bit. After a while you just learn how to cope with whatever life has in store, put the complaints behind and try to figure out how can I make the best out of each and every day. This is my first post of many. I'll try to spend the first few days of post trying to catch you up to where I have journeyed mentally, spiritually and emotionally. I have been deployed since the end of July 2007 and set to be here until just before the end of this year (2008). That would make for a 15 month tour.

I did my first tour during OIF III Nov 05-06 in support of the 18th Airborne Corps, 50th Signal Battalion Airborne, where I was station 62 miles North of Baghdad in Balad for 12 months. When I finally make it home this time it'll be 27 months in a very short Army career that I have spent participating in what we know as "the war on terrorism". I am currently stationed in Baghdad. I will be very general with times, locations, names, this is due impart to what we Army folks call OPSEC (Operational Security). Its important for us not to give out information that may jeopardized our mission or the safety of any Soldier's.


I will also use this as an opportunity to share more of my poetry with you. As some of you know while I was in transition throughout Baghdad and taking command I had my first book published, "A Soldiers Poetic Response: A Slice of his Life". Poetry for me is the essence of life an aesthetic quality in which we use to articulate our beautiful struggle, life.

I had a lot more to write but I'm tired it's 12:20am Baghdad time and I've got a 0530 morning coming, but before I go I'll leave you with this:

War Continuum

This continuum is continually

consistent in nature.

I am watching this clock

like sand sliding down the sides of an hour glass.

My head brings depth to this pillow;

there is no silence.

Rather sleeping or awake.

As the booms and bangs of IED’s and rockets sound off.

Generators roaring,

Blackhawks,

Chinooks, and helicopters

flying over head.

Soldiers are in transit;

in and out.

Our proud chest are poked out –

through our ACU’s;

There is a special confidence in being a Soldier.

Miniature American flags fly from radio antenna’s on Stryker’s.

Night Vision Goggle’s give that illumination green light around the eye’s

Heightening a Soldier’s awareness –

as we own the night.

Dreams of our reception home.

Tired as the days go on.

Proud as the day is long.

This continuum is continually consistent in nature

as long as we are at war.